Patient Care Technician- PCT- Training Provided

Fresenius Medical Care•Whitehall, PA

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) works as part of a dialysis health care team to provide safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, supports patient care and education, and helps maintain a safe, clean working environment while following organizational policies, training, and applicable regulations. The role also supports quality improvement and patient satisfaction activities. The PCT welcomes patients, monitors their condition, performs vascular access care and dialysis treatment tasks as delegated or permitted by law, and records treatment information. Responsibilities include preparing and testing machines, initiating and discontinuing treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures, monitoring patients and responding to changes, collecting laboratory specimens, and reporting concerns to a registered nurse or supervisor. The technician also helps with infection control, supply management, staff training, and continuous quality improvement. In the Transitional Care Unit, the PCT follows newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, coordinates care with facility staff, and supports patients in understanding treatment and home dialysis options. The position involves travel between assigned facilities and community locations, direct patient care, and physical activity including frequent standing, bending, and lifting or moving patients and supplies. The work takes place in a health care facility and may involve exposure to infectious or contagious materials. A high school diploma or GED is required. The employee must meet applicable CMS-approved state or national certification requirements within the required timeline and complete the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification for continued employment. Previous patient care experience in a hospital or related facility is preferred. Employees must take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the required state or CMS timeline.
Meet all applicable state licensure, education, and training requirements.
Successfully complete the organization’s dialysis training program and CPR certification for continued employment.
Demonstrate commitment to the organization’s culture, values, and customer service standards.
Take the Ishihara Color Blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not automatically preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations may be considered.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving frequent, prolonged standing, bending, patient lifting and moving, and assisting patients with ambulation.
Ability to occasionally push or pull equipment with up to 15 pounds of force; frequently lift and lower solutions up to 30 pounds; and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds as high as five feet, with assistance or material-assist devices available for heavier items.
Ability to travel between assigned facilities and various community locations; travel to regional, Business Unit, and Corporate meetings may be required.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient care experience in a hospital setting or related facility.

Responsibilities

Provide dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse and according to organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable regulations.
Set up and operate hemodialysis machines, perform required pretreatment machine alarm tests, and initiate the Solution Delivery System.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their last treatment.
Evaluate vascular access, perform cannulation, administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law, and monitor access during treatment.
Obtain and document pre- and post-treatment vital signs, weights, and evaluations, including initial patient identification.
Initiate, monitor, and discontinue dialysis treatments according to prescribed orders and established procedures.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling, and ensure required safety alarms are enabled.
Monitor patients’ responses to dialysis, evaluate intradialytic problems, provide interventions as prescribed or directed, and report significant changes or unusual findings to the registered nurse or supervisor.
Document treatment parameters, patient evaluations, interventions, and other required information accurately and promptly in treatment records and clinical applications.
Perform machine safety checks and monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests; collect, label, prepare, store, and arrange collection of specimens according to laboratory requirements.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments, and promptly clean blood spills according to facility policy.
Prepare and organize supplies and equipment to prevent wastage; assist with supply ordering and inventory for the Transitional Care Unit.
Assist in training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement activities and infection control audits; follow infection control policies and reinforce patient and family education under appropriate direction.
Prepare initial patient charts, compile paperwork, review treatment sheets for completeness, and prepare or print laboratory requisitions.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care with appropriate facility staff.
Reinforce education for new patients, support understanding of treatment options and home dialysis products, and assist with transitions to patients’ chosen modalities.
Demonstrate peritoneal dialysis setup and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.
Maintain safe, clean, and orderly work areas and follow organizational business policies, procedures, and ethical business practices.